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Checking out the first Witcher game now, FINALLY. I'm far more interested in the sequel, but it hurts my soul to play a game and not have experienced the preceding entries in the series.

Witcher is so awesome, though, so I don't think you'll have to suffer through it much. The beginning is a bit slow, but once you get to the "good" side of town and things get all political it really picks up. If you like "Game of Thrones" you should be pleased.

Witcher 1? I hope you like swamps. Also, it's still one of my favourite stories in gaming and the finale is amazing. Sure, the combat is quite dull and it's generally a bit too long but you're missing out, even if it doesn't have that much to do with the sequel.

Alyx is a stupid annoying groupie bitch that should never be in any part of HL2 and you spend half of Ep. 2 hauling your ass to save her life. And then she tags along for the rest of the game?

Fuck that.

Viscous, arn't you?

But I guess that you could categorize this one under different strokes... Still, I actually enjoy her company and think that she contributes tremendously to my enjoyment of not only Ep.2 but HL in general. Especially because having her around doesn't mean enduring an overblown "protect the NPC" escort mission and because she never gets in my way or in the way of the action.

She also proves to be quite an effective emotional resonator in HL2 and the episodes, and, sue me, I like my FPS to be a bit more than just mindless run and gun. In fact some of my favorite moments in HL are the more quiet bits where you get to explore the levels and where the atmosphere takes over.

But I guess that you could categorize this one under different strokes... Still, I actually enjoy her company and think that she contributes tremendously to my enjoyment of not only Ep.2 but HL in general. Especially because having her around doesn't mean enduring an overblown "protect the NPC" escort mission and because she never gets in my way or in the way of the action.

She also proves to be quite an effective emotional resonator in HL2 and the episodes, and, sue me, I like my FPS to be a bit more than just mindless run and gun. In fact some of my favorite moments in HL are the more quiet bits where you get to explore the levels and where the atmosphere takes over.

This. Gordon Freeman is, by definition, wooden. Alyx Vance and her father are the only sense of urgency in the game offered by people who don't immediately die.

I also agree that Alyx is kind of indispensable because of Gordon's silent nature. Sure they could have done what they did in HL1 and have all that story stuff be exposed and happening to nameless scientists and guards again... But why would they? It's so much more natural to have a cast of regular characters and a sidekick like Alyx that actually interacts with and cares about that wider cast. And by mere extension so do you - like when her dad dies in ep.2 it actually affects you...

Also, on a different note I saw an extended gameplay clip of Bioshock Infinite where the player character talks, and holy shit does it seem annoying. Not because it doesn't work by design but because they totally overwrote the guy... He comments on EVERYTHING. I really hope that they dial that shit down in the final game.

Edit: this is the Bioshock clip I mention above. Does it bother anyone else that Booker talks so much?

I also agree that Alyx is kind of indispensable because of Gordon's silent nature. Sure they could have done what they did in HL1 and have all that story stuff be exposed and happening to nameless scientists and guards again... But why would they? It's so much more natural to have a cast of regular characters and a sidekick like Alyx that actually interacts with and cares about that wider cast. And by mere extension so do you - like when her dad dies in ep.2 it actually affects you...

Also, on a different note I saw an extended gameplay clip of Bioshock Infinite where the player character talks, and holy shit does it seem annoying. Not because it doesn't work by design but because they totally overwrote the guy... He comments on EVERYTHING. I really hope that they dial that shit down in the final game.

Edit: this is the Bioshock clip I mention above. Does it bother anyone else that Booker talks so much?

Game looks awesome otherwise...

Geology pun!

The Bioshock games have always been riddled with bad design decisions, I still don't like either of the games, but there's also been very beautiful stuff in there..

Not-fun companions:
Elanee (I don't like your friends or most of the locations we go to)
Qara (I don't like your friends or for anyone to tell me what to do)
Grobnar (I won't shut up)
Bishop (I go out of my way to be a dick)
Casavir (I'm a paladin and therefore humorless)
Zhjaeve(I'm a cleric and therefore also humorless)
Shandra (I'm a glorified pet, except I whine more)

I understand NWN2 is something of a satire of D&D sessions, but you don't have to convince me that D&D players are annoying by actually making their characters annoying.

NalanoH. Wildmoon
Director of the Friends of Nalano PAC
Attorney at Lawl
"His lack of education is more than compensated for by his keenly developed moral bankruptcy." - Woody Allen

Not-fun companions:
Elanee (I don't like your friends or most of the locations we go to)
Qara (I don't like your friends or for anyone to tell me what to do)
Grobnar (I won't shut up)
Bishop (I go out of my way to be a dick)
Casavir (I'm a paladin and therefore humorless)
Zhjaeve(I'm a cleric and therefore also humorless)
Shandra (I'm a glorified pet, except I whine more)

I understand NWN2 is something of a satire of D&D sessions, but you don't have to convince me that D&D players are annoying by actually making their characters annoying.

You've actually had to worry about companion choices in that game before? After Act I you should be tough enough to take anything regardless of companions, especially with the broken-as-all-hell resting system. Otherwise I pretty much agree with your list, except Shandra is in my fun companion list as she kicks back well if you play as an evil bastard, and the game flatout denies you one of the best items for annoying Shandra - no pandering to both good and evil. Plus I love how her whole character is there to mirror the typical RPG experience: home under attack, mysterious stranger shows up to rescue you, find out you have a higher purpose etc.